Today was clear, with a slight breeze. I headed down to Centre Street to cross the river, and then down on the promenade. It must have been the time of day - I was out a little earlier than usual - but there were huge crowds running in groups. I met several all the way to Crowchild.

Several others were out too. And by the look of everyone, I was rather underdressed. I stuck with shorts and tee, while everyone else seemed to be dressed for winter weather, with running tights and jackets. I have to admit, it did take awhile to warm up. It was a good half hour before my hands were fully warmed.

The trail through Lawrey Gardens was gorgeous, all the trees in fall colours, and still mostly having their leaves. Lots of leaves on the ground too. It was really pretty along the bottom of Spruce Cliff.

After crossing at Edworthy and starting back, it was a little busier on the trail. I think a lot of people just stay on the north side of the river when they get west of Crowchild, and I think they're missing a very scenic run.

The crowd seemed to thin the farther east I went, although once near the CBC studios it was busy enough. I was have a pretty consistent day, not like my slow start, fast middle, and achy stiff end that I usually have. Well I still had that achy stiff end. But my pace was pretty consistent throughout the run.

Still chilly at the end, but a great run and I had lots of morning left, too.

Anyway, today started grey and rainy. Not all that cold though; I was out with shorts and long sleeve tee shirt. The rain had almost stopped when I got out the door. The one block walk to start while the GPS found satellites went really quick, and I was running toward the bluff.

I was still undecided about what I wanted to do. I briefly considered running east along the river, so would have needed to take The Path, but at the point where I would have turned, I continued the other way toward the Centre Street bridge.

I ran toward Eau Claire then, and cut through by the wading pool, now all dried up and deserted. One of those September sights that are a slightly sad reminder that summer is done.

Lots of those tents with no walls were set up, and a band was warming up for the AIDS Walk. It was still pretty early yet, so there were too many people out.

I ran straight up 3rd Street to 7th Avenue, turning right and crossing over to continue up 4th Street. About this time the rain started up again in earnest. It was quite light, almost a mist, but I got wet enough. I didn't really notice it too much.

It didn't take long to get to 17th Avenue and across. Traffic was still pretty light. I continued on 4th, and curiously was kind of head down and unaware of what was going by. I sort of woke up across from the old theatre that's a Jugo Juice now.

At the Earl's, I crossed to the other side of 4th since the lights were favourable. Past the Tech Shop, Wildwood and then the Safeway, I crossed with the light to the river side of Elbow Drive.

It's been a couple of years since I've ran along the Elbow. It's a nice running route, and a few were out in the rain going the other way. I slowed to a walk at the suspension bridge at 31st Avenue, and crossed. It's way too bouncy to run across. Down the street to the end of the cul-de-sac where the trail along the river picks up.

There were big groups of runners out down there. I passed a couple while climbing a bit of an uphill grade. I passed the monster mansions on the other side of the river, where the last time I was down that way a little white dog cavorted in one of the yards while a coyote on my side of the river watched intently.

Around a curve where the river bank is reinforced with concrete slabs, and I was in Stanley Park, still passing small groups of runners. Past the park and along the street where a friend used to live. She'd sold the place about three years ago, a beautiful little character home, that was replaced almost immediately by a huge monster of a house.

The underpass under Elbow drive came up fast and it's just a nice little dip under the street adjacent to the river. On the other side the trail only goes another fifty metres or so before turning toward the street. Riverdale Avenue is a picturesque street, with big mature trees, and more monster mansions on massive plots of land.

I met a couple more large groups running the other way on this street, following the long slow curve toward the south. It ends at a parking lot and a path that leads through Riverdale Park, open and grassy among some trees closer to the river, with the odd loose dog chasing a ball.

I soon came to another suspension bridge, which I walked again, cross the river to Sandy Beach Park. The path splits and I went right, climbing a short steep hill that goes past public washrooms and the road up the hill to North Glenmore Park.

At this point a check on the GPS showed I had been running for just about 55 minutes. Time to turn and head back. So after a quick stop at those washrooms, I headed back down the hill and crossed the suspension bridge again.

I had planned to follow Riverdale all the way to Elbow, and follow it back to 5th Street. But at the intersection with 9th Street, there was a gap between river front houses to another suspension bridge. I took that, for a change of scenery and woundup following Sifton Avenue back to Elbow.

At Elbow, I just continued north, following the long curve of it all the way to 5th Street, and then headed north that way. Just an uneventful run to downtown. Past the new court building, I finally hit a red light at 5th Avenue, probably the first one in the whole run. And of course another one at 4th Avenue. Both busy streets.

After that I crossed 5th Street to run along beside the new Centennial Place towers on 3rd Avenue, then dodged around Canterra Tower to the Sheraton. The tents set up for the AIDS walk were still rather quiet, not too big a crowd in the rain, although by that time it had stopped.

Then through Prince's Island, across the bridge to the curling club and up The Path from The Stairs. Less than ten minutes later, I was home.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

It was two days ago. Really did happen. And here I am finally writing up about it. Not that it's critical that I do, but I try to say something about when I go out. Just cuz I'm rackin' up the numbers of posts.

Anyway, it was one of those that I went out right after I got home from work and before I was on the L n K. I crossed Prince's Island right off and ran west on the south side of the river, to 14th and then back on the north side.

There is s camber to the path due to slump in the river bank. It kind of slopes toward the water in a few places. It's almost like running on a side hill, and after awhile, you can feel it in knees and ankles.

That's why I usually run the other way, so that the right side of the path is farthest from the river, and flatest. But sometimes running the other way kinda mixes things up. So I did.

Thursday, September 03, 2009

Somewhere up near 30C, but it didn't feel all that bad. Probably because of the wind. It's been brisk all day, and in fact just after I finished it came up really strong for a few minutes, and now the back yard is full of apples from the old apple tree. Nothing worth picking up, since they're pretty tiny.

On the walk from downtown tonight, this itty bitty spitty cloud followed me home, and it had turned rather grey, so I was hoping for a shower to cool things down. By the time I had a few moments of L n K time, changed and was back outside, it had slipped by and the sky was mostly clear to the west.

I walked a little to warm up, as usual, waiting for the GPS to find itself, and then was off. Not too long into it, I was pretty sweated up. I checked my pace, my stride was only a little bit off optimum.

The usual run, the usual crowd. It was nice along the promenade, actually. Kind of quiet and feeling like things were moving at a slower pace. Crossing Prince's Island and the bridge wasn't too congested either. The Stairs were another matter, but that's become usual on a warm afternoon.

And trotting along the top of the bluff to the finish, the sky was darkening again. But nary a drop of rain or cool breeze, just hot, hot wind.

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

I was working from home again, and was up for running half way through the morning. I waited a little before changing into my gear and heading out.

It was relatively quiet, so I think I was in a pre-lunch lull. Good running though, even with the temperature climbing. Down The Path and along the river, then over the 14th Street bridge and back along Bow Trail to the promenade downtown.

Oh, man, but I was feeling it. Not hurting, but just not having much in the tank. I had put in a fairly strenuous day Sunday, so the leg muscles still needed some recovery time.

The Path on the return was particularly noticeable. I was reduced to short steps, and breathing hard. Still I managed to do a respectable time, which for me is anything under 6 min/km.